Variable heat control electric hand tool



Feb. 14, 1939. E v LL, 46379 VARIABLE HEAT CONTROL ELECTRIC HAND TOOL Filed Oct. 21, 1935 a q i/ t :2 5 4 1 qae Z 7 1% r Patented Feb. 14, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE VARIABLE. HEAT CONTROL ELECTRIC HAND TOOL Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in electrically heated tools, and particularly to an electrical heater tool for applying and working shellac and similar preparations for finishing furniture, and one of its objects is to provide a tool of this kind with means for controlling the heating of the tool, so that various degrees of heating may be readily obtained.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a tool of this character with a sliding heat unit, and means for shifting the heat unit toward the tool end of the device, so that the amount of heat transferred may be varied at will.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a tool of this general character with a tool which is connected to the body of the device by a weakened portion so that a relatively small amount of metal will connect the tool to the device, and to provide a longitudinally sliding heat unit for heating the tool, which can be shifted in various positions adjacent to the tool, so that the amount of heat transferred may be varied at will under working conditions.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a sliding electrical conductor connection between the heat unit and the body of the device, and the further provision of a handle for shifting the heat unit from the handle of the device.

With the above and other objects in View the invention consists in certain new and useful constructions, combinations and arrangements of parts, clearly described in the following specification, and fully illustrated in the drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in longitudinal section of one form of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view, taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view, taken line 33 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction the arrows.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal side view, partly in section, of the modified form of the invention.

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view, taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 4, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 6 is a similar view, taken on line 66 of Fig. 4,. looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring to the drawing illustrating the practical embodiment of my invention 5 designates a on of handle, which may be constructed of wood, or

any other suitable material which is not a conductor of electricity at normal voltages. This handle is formed with an axial bore or passage in which the tubular conductors B and l are inserted, and insulated from each other. The forward end of each of these conductors is split to provide spring jaws 8 and 9, and the rear ends of the two conductors provide sockets l0 and II to receive the prongs or pins of an electrical plug, not shown.

A tube I2 is fixed in the forward end of the handle and to this tube the metal tube I3 is fixed, by any suitable coupling means, as by the set screw M. This tube is formed with a longitudinal slot 15, located in one side thereof, and further provided with a transverse slot I6, located near the forward end of the tube, and which thus provides a narrow heat transfer connection or neck H, which is formed with one or more openings or perforations I 8, intended to reduce the mass of metal connecting the body d of the tube, with the short forward section 13a.

The forward tube section [3a is provided with a tool l9, which is in the form of a finger, and which is formed by folding a strip of metal integral with the tube, upon itself, as to provide a smooth forward end 20. The forward end of the short tube I3a is formed with a stop l3b.

In the tube l3 a heat unit 2| is slidably mounted, so that it will slide forwardly and about against the stop I 31). This heat unit is formed with insulating cement in which the forward ends of the conductor rods 22 and 23 are secured, and in electrical connection with the opposite ends of the resistance wire used for generating the heat. The rear ends of these rods are inserted in the split forward ends of the conductor tubes 6 and 7.

The connection between the rods 22 and 23 and the tubes 6 and 1 permits the sliding of the heater unit 2|, without breaking the electrical connection between the rods and the tubes. To produce the necessary sliding action of the heater unit, a metal rod 24 is connected to the metal tube Zia of the heater unit 2|, by means of the screw 25, which works through the slot l5. This rod 24 is outwardly offset and slidably engages the external groove 26 of the handle 5, and is provided with a hand hold 24a at its rear end, so that the rod 24 may be readily grasped and shifted.

When the heater unit is located at the forward end of the tube 13 the maximum amount of heat is transferred to the tool l9, and by shifting the heater unit rearwardly of the extreme forward end of the tube It, against the stop l3b thereof,

to various positions, different amounts of heat will be transferred to the tool Hi. It is possible,

therefore, to regulate the intensity of heat of the tool l9 by shifting the heater unit rearwardly or forwardly in the tube 13.

In Figs. 4, 5 and 6 I show a modified form of the invention, wherein two heater units are employed. The handle 36 carries the tube 3|, on which the tube 32 is telescoped. The tool head 33 is formed on the forward end of this tube 32, and is substantially the same as that shown in Fig. 1. To the rear end portion of the slidable tube 32 a rod 34 is secured, and the rear end of this rod is provided with a latch pin 35, which is adapted to successively engage the spaced holes 36 formed on the handle. By shifting the spring pressed latch pin into various longitudinal positions with reference to the handle, the tube 32 may be shifted.

, Within the tube 32 the heater unit tube 3'! is mounted to slide. This heater unit tube is equipped with conductor rods 38 and 39, which engage the conductor tubes 40 and Al, of the handle 38, in the same manner as described with reference to Fig. 1. This heater tube 31 is connected by the screw 42 to the rod 53, through the slot id, which is formed in the tube 32, and the rear end of the rod 43 slides in the groove 43a formed in the handle 3@. v

By'shifting either the tube 32 or the'heater tube 31 the relation of the heater unit to the tool head 33 may be varied to regulate the heat.

In some cases an intense and rapid starting heat is desired, and for this purpose I provide another heater unit it, which is in the form of a heater unit wound upon a metal sleeve 46, from which it is insulated. This heater unit is rigidly connected to the forward ends of the conductor rods 41 and 48, which are provided with insulating coverings, and which are mounted to slide in the groove 49 formed'in the handle 30. A button handle 50 is attached to these heater rods and suitably insulated therefrom.

By shifting the heater unit &5 forwardly the temperature produced by the action of the inner heater unit 37 may be raised, so that a higher temperature can be obtained by combining the heat produced by both heater: units. The heater unit is provided with a suitable switch 5, for cutting the same out of action.

Having described my invention I claim as new:-

1. An electrical heating device consisting of a handle, a heat conductor connected to said handle and carrying at its outer end a finishing tool, said conductor having an intermediate portion of reduced heat conducting capacity, an electrical heating unit movable along said conductor from a position wholly at one side of said intermediate portion to the other side thereof and electrical circuit connections through said handle for said heating unit.

2. An electrical device consisting of a handle, a tube connected with the handle, a tube slidable on the tube and'provided with a terminal tool, an electrical heater unit slidable in the second tube, means for supplying current to the heater unit in all positions, means for manually sliding the heater unit, a second heater unit slidable on the second tube, means for supplying current to the second heater unit, and means for shifting the second heater unit.

3. An electrically heated hand tool consisting of a handle, a tube connected to the handle, a tool head on the tube having a portion connecting the same to the tube which is considerably smaller in heat conductivity than the remainder of the tube, an electric heating unit and means for mounting said unit for movement in said tube from one side of said tube portion to the other to Vary the amount of heat transferred to the tool head.

4. An electrically heated tool, consisting of a handle, a metal tube connected to the handle, a tool head on the tube, tubular conductor members in the handle, an electrical heater element mounted to slide in the tube toward and away from the tool head, conductor rods connected with said heater element and slidable in the tubular conductor members, and an additional electrical heater element slidable on the tube.

5. A finishing tool for furniture comprising a handle, a hollow tube rigidly connected to said handle, a flat faced finishing tool upon the outer end of said tube and rigidly supported thereby, a heating unit slidably movable along said tube and adapted to be retained in any one of a plurality of adjusted positions whereby the temperature of the tool may be varied at will and an operating member connected tosaid heating unit extending upwardly toward the handle portion for vary ing the position of the heating unit.

EUSTACE V. PAOLICELLI. 

